Kinston native to perform on X Factor

Published: Wednesday, May 1, 2013 at 09:02 PM.

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Davis had auditioned for American Idol on three occasions and got the axe all three times in the first round. During those auditions, he saw quality singers get turned down and mediocre singers, in his opinion, make it to the next round.

Cory Davis never thought his singing was anything to brag about. However, after a grueling three rounds, he's been selected to perform on Fox’s X Factor television show.

“I always felt like I wasn't that great,” he said. “But to society, it was a different story.”

The Kinston native, raised by his grandmother Emma Core, had been singing gospel at church with his brother Clarence since he was 4 years old.

His friends and acquaintances appreciated his singing voice. Davis sang at weddings, open mike events and other times at the age of 15 and clubs when he was too young to drink, he said.

“They asked me to sing (outside) before they let me in,” he said.

Davis said he would get asked by numerous people to sing with them.

But his experience with auditions made him question his singing abilities.

Davis had auditioned for American Idol on three occasions and got the axe all three times in the first round. During those auditions, he saw quality singers get turned down and mediocre singers, in his opinion, make it to the next round.

“I didn't realize my voice was not mature,” he said. He had auditioned at ages 14, 15 and 17.

Recently, he began doing auditions in Kinston, Greenville and Raleigh, but still got turned down.

“That put me down again,” Davis said about his self-esteem.

He said he was singing in Clayton where no one knew him, so he could get unbiased opinions. People were requesting him to come back and sing.

One day, Davis found he could audition with the X Factor on the Internet in the comfort of home.

“I did the online audition,” he said, “and, surprisingly, I got a phone call back.”

When he got that call, he was certain it was some acquaintance making a fake call. When he called the number back, it was the number of the popular Fox show. His reaction was mixed.

“I was happy, but I'm probably not going to make it past Round 2,” was his feeling.

Saturday, the 22-year-old took a trip to Long Island, N.Y., to meet with thousands of people at the Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum to audition for the second round. He quit his job as a car salesman when his supervisor wouldn’t let him take off a couple of days to go.

The judges’ faces were like stone — expressionless — and Davis said he felt like they weren't interested in him.

But he received a slip of paper sending him to the “yes room.” He would be going on to Round 3, which would be videotaped.

“So for them to pick you out of so many people,” Davis said, “you're just like, wow.”

At each audition, there was no music; contestants had to sing a cappella.

Davis sang “Stay” by Tyrese for the online audition and “Isn’t She Lovely” by Stevie Wonder for rounds 2 and 3.

“I was shocked because I was like, wow,” he said. “Even if I didn't make it, I was just glad I made Round 2.”

It was in New York when Davis realized what the judges were looking for; not simply talent, but personality and presentation — “performing your song instead of just singing your song.”

In past auditions, Davis said he wasn’t relaxed and had self-esteem issues because of being a “big” guy. This time, he got past all that with positive self-talk.

“Me, the way I present myself,” he said, “I’m just a happy and humble guy.”

It didn’t hurt to have watched probably every X Factor show Fox has produced, beforehand.

Davis enjoys singing soul and rhythm and blues, but he doesn’t limit himself to that.

“I do a little country in there,” he said. “The thing I like about country is it has more of a meaning than some.”

He plays keyboard, piano, organ and guitar and has been writing lyrics since he was 12. Charged up from the X Factor experience, Davis wrote two songs when he got back from New York.

Now Davis is looking forward to June 16, when he will receive the phone call telling him when and where he will attend boot camp and perform for an on-air audition. The elimination shows are expected to air in September and October.

Davis said — with newfound confidence — he will continue practicing his singing and writing lyrics.

“I know I have what it takes to make it,” he said.

Margaret Fisher can be reached at 252-559-1082 or Margaret.Fisher@Kinston.com. Follow her on Twitter @MargaretFishr.